01. The Path To Imminent Ruin02. My Demise03. Still I Rise04. War05. King Of Nothing06. The Taste Of Fear07. Embrace Annihilation08. Picture Perfect09. A Public Execution10. Dead And Gone

Of all the Metalcore bands, Shadows Fall remains one of the most respected. The American band was one of the first in the league ok but of course this is just the great quality of a majority of their releases which gave this status to the band. After a so-so previous album, the guys left Century Media and it seems that that they're finally back to something better and less commercial. I'm quite sure that Retribution will be a nice reconciliation for some fans.

Keep in mind that Shadows Fall plays Metalcore and of course you'll find some really melodic riffs and choruses on their new release. It's just a matter of taste when it comes to Metalcore and I know that some metalheads just can't stand such melodies. On the other hand if you're into melodic Metal and obviously if you're a Metalcore fan, Retribution is just a perfect way to be happy. The album is damn effective and all the songs work pretty well. From the beginning to the end, you'll find some really good riffs in addition of some really cool technical guitar solos and arpeggios. This is just perfect to headbang and I can already tell you that songs like "A Public Execution" or "King Of Nothing" will become some circle pit and wall of death anthems! Of course, you'll have to accept the fact that the vocals remains really commercial but well this is how Metalcore works anyway and objectively speaking, it's not worst than some Power Metal singers (at the opposite).

The great point of the album is that we don't really have any break and letdown from its beginning to its end. All the songs are catchy and powerful. The guitarists are really good and give some really nice guitars solos and nobody will have the right to complain about the rhythmic which are perfectly done by the bass and an impressive drummer. With its really good (American) production Retribution doesn't suffer of any kind of problem. I can even say that this album is definitely less commercial than the last one and is a lot more "angry" and violent if you see what I mean.

After all it was probably not a bad thing to change of label and come back to something a bit more traditional if I can use this word. Sure Shadows Fall still play Metalcore and this album will not convince the ones who don't like this music but if you like the band and was disappointed by Threads Of Life, I'm sure that Retribution will change your opinion! Don't miss this release if you're a fan!

Metalcore innovators, Shadows Fall, have had a lucrative career with several changes in their sound. From melodic death metal, to a more DM influenced style of metalcore and thrash, then finally into the more commercialized sound of metalcore such as on Threads of Life. After the aforementioned release , the band split with Atlantic records and founded their very own Everblack Industries which can be seen as a redeeming point for them, a transition into an additional, yet satisfying metalcore sound.

Comments

I've heard the album (of course) and I do agree that it is a step up from threads of life, and so it looks hopeful for future releases. Still though, I think they could have done better. Maybe we'll just never see anything even as good as TWW ever again, but still, this is better than I expected. Personally, I would have given it a 7.5 but whatever, I'm just happy they're back.

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"For the Coward there is no Life
For the hero there is No Death"
-Kakita Toshimoko

"The Philosopher, you know so much about nothing at all." _Chuck Schuldiner.

I gave this album an 8.5+ coz first am a Shadows Fall fan boy and second the melodies on this album are overwhelming. Add abit of grit to this and you have a full blown thrashy(note I didn't say thrash) record.

I'll have to check it out. I haven't listened to it yet since some of the other reviews I've read said it was disappointing and didn't like it much. Most of your reviews I agree with pretty well, so I'll take your word for it and check it out, since I liked The War Within and the albums before it, but was let down by Threads of Life.